The Importance Of A Strong Core

It’s nice to have ripped, six-pack abs, but there’s a lot more to your core muscle group than its bearing on your sex appeal. Just about every move you make is dependent on the muscles in the center of your body. You couldn’t stand, bend over, lift anything or cross your legs without them. Forget about an impressive golf swing or a killer serve on the tennis court.

Keep reading to find out where these key muscles are located and why keeping them strong and healthy is vital to overall good health.

Take It From the Top

Most people think the stabilizing muscles are housed only in the abdomen, but minor, peripheral muscles stretch into the neck and shoulders.

The major trunk muscles are in the belly area and the outer part of the lower and middle back. The transverse and rectus abdominis run from your waist to your sternum. Minor muscles called latissimus dorsi, better known as lats, support your back. Your obliques extend along the sides of your body between your rib cage and hips.

This inner unit gets additional support from minor muscles in your hips and legs. They include the adductors and abductors in your inner and outer thighs, respectively. Your hip flexors, glutes and even hamstrings get in on the act.

No matter where motion originates, it travels up and down this sturdy chain in the center of your body.

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​Reasons to Go Hard Core

Not only do these muscles equip you for mundane, everyday tasks and power your athletic performance, but they benefit the body in other surprising areas:

• Posture and balance

The way you sit and stand impacts your health as well as your appearance. Poor posture may result in muscle strain or curvature of the spine.

The muscles in your lower back and abdomen must be strong enough to keep your pelvis in alignment for stability and balance. Strengthening the central muscles also alleviates compression on the back by evenly distributing your weight.

There’s also a psychological element. Walking tall and strong will boost your self-confidence and make an impression on others.

• Breathing

The diaphragm needs plenty of room to expand. Good alignment facilitates breathing by keeping the diaphragm in the right position. As you improve muscle quality, you’ll notice your respiratory stamina improve as well. Who doesn’t want to breathe easier?

• Prevention of lower back pain and injuries

Chronic back pain is a chronic problem. It is consistently among the top five reasons for both short- and long-term absence from work.

The best way to combat it is to build up the abdominals, strengthen the glutes and thighs and improve mobility in the hips.

Weak, inflexible muscles result in poor balance and reaction time, increasing the likelihood of injury. Stay strong, stay loose and stay safe.

• Sex, pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood

You wouldn’t even be here if not for your mother’s strong trunk muscles, or, for that matter, your father’s. Sexual activity requires energy, flexibility and stamina.

Healthy abdominals support the weight of a growing fetus and prevent back pain, the bane of women’s existence during pregnancy. Abdominals make it easier for moms to push during labor and recover faster once the baby’s born. Best of all, research shows that overall fitness, including a firm belly and strong lower back, results in shorter labor.

As the newborn grows into a toddler, a firm torso comes in handy for lifting, stooping, chasing, diaper-changing, stroller-pushing and laundry-loading.​

• The workday

You may not associate ripped abs with answering email, making copies or creating a spreadsheet, but people who work in sedentary jobs have to pay special attention to the stabilizing muscles when they exercise. Weakness leads to bad posture at work, and bad posture can make or break your physical comfort, energy level, alertness, motivation and mood.

The importance of taking regular breaks to walk, stretch and work out kinks can’t be overstated. Consider getting an adjustable stand-up desk so that you can alternate between standing and sitting throughout the day.

• The waistline

All the experts agree that losing excess inches is as important as losing excess pounds. A slim waistline greatly reduces the risk of long-term health problems. A toned belly improves health and quality of life.

It’s Your Move

Make every motion count by keeping your abs and core muscles vigorous and flexible. You’ll not only look and feel better, but you’ll prolong your life. It takes half as long to build a muscle as it takes to lose it, so you’re already ahead of the game.

There are countless regimens for keeping in shape, but always talk to your doctor or a qualified trainer before starting a new routine.